# Things to see in Besançon (France): 35 places and when to go

> Besançon is a city in France with around 128,000 inhabitants, and this site lists 35 places in and around it, mainly History (9), Nature (8), Food and drink (8). The best known are Besançon, Gennes, Doubs and Synagogue of Besançon. The best time to come is March to October; also possible: November to February. In June there are 15 h 42 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 18. Here is what there is, when to go, how to get there and what else is nearby.

- Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/besanzon/
- Reviewed on: 2026-10-02
- Language: en

## In a nutshell

- **Where:** France · 47.23, 6.03
- **Population:** About 128,000
- **Places:** 35 places on this site, in the town and around it.
- **What people come for:** [History](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/historia/) (9) · [Nature](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/naturaleza/) (8) · [Food and drink](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/gastronomia/) (8) · [Wildlife](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/fauna/) (6) · [With kids](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/familia/) (5) · [Museums and art](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/museos/) (3)
- **Best time:** March to October.
- **Also possible:** November to February.
- **Nearest airport:** LYS Colombier-Saugnieu, Rhône, 182 km as the crow flies

## What to see in Besançon

The places in and around Besançon, best known first, each with its own page: what it is, when to go and what is next to it. Distances are from the centre, as the crow flies.

- [Besançon](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/enceinte-urbaine-de-besancon/): History · Museums and art · 565 m
- [Gennes, Doubs](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/mairie-lavoir/): History · 7.2 km
- [Synagogue of Besançon](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/synagogue-de-besancon/): Synagogue located in Doubs, in France · 1.4 km
- [Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie de Besançon](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/musee-des-beaux-arts-et-d-archeologie/): Museum in Besançon, France · 1.2 km
- [Fort of Planoise](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/fort-de-planoise/): Fort · 4.3 km
- [Besançon Astronomical Observatory](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/observatoire-de-besancon-osu-theta/): Astronomical observatory · 3.6 km
- [Basilica of Saint-Ferjeux](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/basilique-saint-ferreol-et-saint-ferjeux/): Basilica located in Doubs, in France · 3.1 km
- [Al-Fath Mosque, Besançon](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/mosquee-al-fath/): Mosque in France · 5.3 km
- [Musée Courbet](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/musee-courbet/): Museum in Ornans, France · 17 km
- [Château de Moncley](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/chateau-de-moncley/): Castle in Moncley, France · 14 km
- [Château d'Abbans-Dessus](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/chateau-de-jouffroy-d-abbans/): Castle · 16 km
- [Sources d’Arcier](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/source-d-arcier/): Watercourse in France · 8.1 km
- [Château de Gy](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/chateau-de-gy/): Castle · 25 km
- [Muséum de Besançon](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/jardin-zoologique-de-la-citadelle-de-besancon/): Museum in France · 469 m
- [Mont de Bregille](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/mont-de-bregille/): Mountain in France · 2.0 km
- [Mont des Buis](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/mont-des-buis/): Summit · 1.7 km
- [réserve naturelle régionale de la grotte de Beaumotte](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/reserve-naturelle-de-la-grotte-de-beaumotte/): Nature reserve in Franche-Comté · 19 km
- [réserve naturelle régionale de la grotte de la Baume noire](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/reserve-naturelle-de-la-grotte-de-la-baume-noire/): Nature reserve in Franche-Comté · 27 km
- [réserve naturelle régionale du vallon de Fontenelay](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/reserve-naturelle-du-vallon-de-fontenelay/): Protected area in France · 21 km
- [Aux Ateliers](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/aux-ateliers/): With kids · 6.5 km
- [Besançon - Arc-et-Senans](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/besancon-arc-et-senans/): Hiking · 13 km
- [Bière du Doubs](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/biere-du-doubs/): Brewery · 12 km
- [Brasserie 1551](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/brasserie-1551/): Brewery · 25 km
- [Brasserie Levain](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/brasserie-levain/): Brewery · 535 m

And the other 11, by what you come to do:

- **Hiking**: [Ceinture de Besançon](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/ceinture-de-besancon/)
- **Food and drink**: [De la fleur au fruit](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/de-la-fleur-au-fruit/), [Gangloff Brasserie](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/gangloff-brasserie/), [Les 2 Fûts](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/les-2-futs/), [Terra Comtix](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/terra-comtix/), [Vignoble Guillaume](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/vignoble-guillaume/)
- **With kids**: [Dino-Zoo](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/dino-zoo/), [Lama loisir Mamirolle](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/lama-loisir-mamirolle/), [Magasin à poudre](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/magasin-a-poudre/)
- **Nature**: [Grotte de la Chère](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/grotte-de-la-chere/), [Grotte des Cavottes](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/grotte-des-cavottes/)

## When to go to Besançon

The best time to visit Besançon is **March to October**; also possible: November to February. This comes from its own places: a month counts as the town's best time when it is the best time for half of what there is to see.

| Mes | Época | Hours of daylight |
| --- | --- | --- |
| January | Possible | 8 h 41 |
| February | Possible | 10 h 02 |
| March | Best time | 11 h 36 |
| April | Best time | 13 h 23 |
| May | Best time | 14 h 53 |
| June | Best time | 15 h 42 |
| July | Best time | 15 h 22 |
| August | Best time | 14 h 03 |
| September | Best time | 12 h 19 |
| October | Best time | 10 h 36 |
| November | Possible | 9 h 04 |
| December | Possible | 8 h 18 |

In June there are 15 h 42 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 18. In April, 35 of the 35 places are at their best.

When to go to France in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/#cuando-ir).

## Getting to Besançon

The nearest main airport is Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport (LYS, Colombier-Saugnieu, Rhône), 182 km as the crow flies. How to get around France (train, car, bus) is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/#moverse), and what to sort out before you leave is in [its checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/#antes-de-salir).

- [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=47.23%2C6.03)
- [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=47.23%2C6.03)

## Other towns nearby

- [Cirey](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/cirey/): 5 places · 20 km
- [Flagey](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/flagey/): 17 places · 23 km
- [Chaux-Lès-Passavant](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/chaux-les-passavant/): 10 places · 24 km
- [Taxenne](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/taxenne/): 12 places · 27 km
- [Salins-les-Bains](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/salins-les-bains/): 47 places · 34 km
- [Gray](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/gray/): 10 places · 41 km

And all of France, in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is there to see in Besançon?

The best known: [Besançon](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/enceinte-urbaine-de-besancon/), [Gennes, Doubs](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/mairie-lavoir/), [Synagogue of Besançon](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/synagogue-de-besancon/), [Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie de Besançon](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/musee-des-beaux-arts-et-d-archeologie/), [Fort of Planoise](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/fort-de-planoise/). In all, 35 places in the town and around it, all on your trip map from day one.

### When is the best time to visit Besançon?

March to October; also possible: November to February. In June there are 15 h 42 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 18.

### How do you get to Besançon?

The nearest main airport is Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport (LYS), 182 km away. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=47.23%2C6.03) opens the route on the map.

### How do I add it to my trip?

Create a trip with Besançon as the destination and these 35 places are on your map, each with its category. The ones you like go into a day's plan with one tap, and Kokai reminds you when you pass nearby.

Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright), licensed under the ODbL, from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/), CC0, cities from [Natural Earth](https://www.naturalearthdata.com/) and airports from [OurAirports](https://ourairports.com/data/). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).